Battery swap apparatus and battery swap system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024059259-A1
Application number	US-202318499476-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 1, 2023
Priority date	Nov 10, 2021
Publication date	Feb 22, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery swap apparatus and a battery swap system relating to the field of battery swap for electrical devices is disclosed. The battery swap apparatus includes a floating platform, a locking and unlocking mechanism and an positioning mechanism. The locking and unlocking mechanism is arranged on the floating platform, and the positioning mechanism is arranged on the floating platform. The positioning mechanism includes a positioning member and a driving member. The driving member is configured to drive the positioning member to move in a height direction of the battery swap apparatus, so as to adjust the height of the positioning member. The driving member drives the positioning member to move downwardly to reduce the height of the positioning member The driving member drives the positioning member to move upwardly to increase the height of the positioning member.

First claim

1 . A battery swap apparatus for swapping a battery of an electrical device comprising:
a floating platform; a locking and unlocking mechanism, arranged on the floating platform and configured to lock the battery to the electrical device or to unlock the battery from the electrical device; and a positioning mechanism, arranged on the floating platform and configured to position the floating platform relative to the electrical device; wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a positioning member and a driving member, the driving member being configured to drive the positioning member to move in a height direction of the battery swap apparatus, so as to adjust the height of the positioning member.

2 . The battery swap apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a transmission assembly, and the driving member is in transmission connection with the positioning member via the transmission assembly; and
the transmission assembly is configured to convert a rotation of an output end of the driving member into a linear movement of the positioning member.

3 . The battery swap apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the transmission assembly comprises a first gear, a second gear and a lead screw, the first gear meshes with the second gear, the first gear is connected to the output end of the driving member, the second gear is sleeved on the lead screw and threadedly connected to the lead screw, and the positioning member is connected to the lead screw; and
wherein, a rotation axis of the first gear, a rotation axis of the second gear and an axis of the lead screw are all consistent with the height direction of the battery swap apparatus.

4 . The battery swap apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the positioning mechanism further comprises a first mounting seat, a connecting plate and a first guide shaft, wherein the mounting seat is fixed to the floating platform; the driving member, the first gear and the second gear are all mounted to the mounting seat; and the connecting plate is connected to the lead screw, the positioning member is connected to the connecting plate, and the first guide shaft slidably passes through the first mounting seat and is connected to the connecting plate.

5 . The battery swap apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning mechanism further comprises a first detection unit configured to detect height information of the positioning member.

6 . The battery swap apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a supporting mechanism, the supporting mechanism comprising a second mounting seat, a supporting member and an elastic member, wherein the second mounting seat is fixed to the floating platform, the elastic member is elastically supported between the supporting member and the second mounting seat, and the supporting member is configured to support the battery.

7 . The battery swap apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the supporting mechanism further comprises a second guide shaft, the second guide shaft slidably passing through the second mounting seat and being connected to the supporting member.

8 . The battery swap apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the supporting mechanism further comprises a second detection unit configured to detect whether the supporting member is in contact with the battery.

9 . The battery swap apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a movable base;
a lifting platform, to which the floating platform is floatingly connected; and
an elevation mechanism arranged between the movable base and the lifting platform and configured to elevate the lifting platform.

10 . The battery swap apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a locking assembly configured to lock the floating platform to the lifting platform or to release the floating platform from the lifting platform.

11 . The battery swap apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the locking assembly comprises an electromagnet and a magnet attraction plate, wherein the electromagnet is arranged on one of the lifting platform and the floating platform, and the magnet attraction plate is arranged on the other one of the lifting platform and the floating platform.

12 . A battery swap system comprising:
a track; a battery swap apparatus according to claim 1 , which is movably arranged on the track; a battery swap platform located at one end of the track; and a battery pick-and-place apparatus located at the other end of the track.

Assignees

• Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Disong
• Wu Yuanhe
• Ye Qingfeng
• Shuai ling
• Yang Xin

Classifications

• B60K2001/0472

  from below · CPC title

• B60S5/06 Primary

  Supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles (exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80) · CPC title

• B60L53/80 Primary

  Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries · CPC title

• B60L53/35

  Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title